Follow Your Arrow
by Dragonsrule18
Summary: In Iowa, Emily is missing Maya. She meets a girl named Trista who gives her some valuable life advice. "Follow your arrow." In other words, choose your own path. How will Rosewood and a certain stalker react to this confident, in- control Emily? And how will fate be changed? Emily/Maya all the way, Emily/Trista friendship.


Follow Your Arrow

**Through the first books of the series, I loved Pretty Little Liars. Emily/Maya was my favorite couple and I was pissed when Emily suddenly decided to cheat on a girl she said she loved. **

**So what would happen if Emily stayed faithful to Maya instead of falling for Trista? What if Trista said just the right thing to give Emily the courage to follow her own path? And what if Emily let Maya in on the A situation? With Maya there to help, could the fate of the Pretty Little Liars be changed?**

**Though this isn't a songfic, this was inspired by the song Follow Your Arrow by Kacey Musgraves.**

Emily stood in line for the beer keg, watching the party happening around her. This didn't seem much different from any other Typical Rosewood Party; the same music, the girls in denim skirts, the boys in oversize hoodies and baggy pants. Only one thing was missing that Rosewood had.

Maya.

Last night, she and Maya had said they loved each other. It had only been a day, but Emily missed her desperately; her smile, her laugh, her kisses, the scent of banana gum that always followed her. Would she even ever see Maya again? If her parents, aunt and uncle had anything to say about it, no.

Emily stepped out of the line, not feeling like getting a beer anymore or even joining the party. Partying never was really her thing anyway, she had just done it before to please Ali. She sat down on one of the couches, putting her head in her hands. What was she supposed to do about this whole situation? A, being stuck in Iowa, her parents hating her for being a lesbian…

Wrapped in her thoughts, she never noticed the beautiful blond girl in the striped tunic approaching her.

…...

Trista Taylor had noticed the cute red-headed girl from across the room. It looked like she could use some cheering up, and Trista was in the mood for a little romance, so…

"Hey! Cheer up! This is a party!" Trista said, plopping next to the red-head. The girl looked up in surprise, and Trista was struck by her eyes; big, beautiful and innocent.

"You're the new girl, right?" Trista asked, really wanting to get to know this stranger.

She nodded. "Uh, yeah. I just got here today."

"And you're from Pennsylvania, right?" Trista questioned having heard the others talking about this new girl. "I was there once. We went to Harvard Square."

"I think you mean Boston, in Massachusetts." the girl corrected. "That's where Harvard is. Pennsylvania has Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin stuff, all that."

Trista frowned. _Okay, that was a dumb mistake for me to make. _"I haven't been to Pennsylvania, then. She decided to try out one of her fun, flirty questions, see if the red-head was interested. "If you were candy, what kind would you be?"

The girl blinked. "Sorry?"

"Come on." Trista teased playfully, poking her. "Me, I'd be an M&M."

"Why?" the girl asked.

Trista lowered her eyes seductively. "Because I melt in your mouth, obviously." A noticeable blush appeared on the girl's face. _Either gay, or really easily embarrassed. _Again she poked the red-head. "So how about you?"

The girl shrugged. "I've never thought about it. A Tootsie Roll?"

Trista violently shook her head. "You wouldn't be a Tootsie Roll. That looks like a big, long poop. You'd be something _way_ sexier than that."

The girl seemed nervous and a little uncomfortable. "Um, I think I need your name before we talk about…sexy candy."

Trista stuck out her hand. "I'm Trista."

The girl took it. "Emily." As they shook, Trista spiraled her thumb around Emily's palm, watching her reaction. The girl pulled away a bit, still seeming uncomfortable. _She may be a slow mover or not interested at all. Better tone it down a bit._

"So, did your family just move here?" Trista asked.

"I'm staying with my cousins for a little while." Emily said. She pointed out a girl who Trista recognized as Abby, and Abby's two brothers. Ugh, she hated Abby; the girl was a complete jerk.

"You on a little vacation?" Trista queried, fluttering her eyelashes.

Emily looked down. "M-my parents kicked me out of the house." Trista could tell the girl was trying not to cry. She felt a wave of sympathy for her. If her own mother knew Trista's secret life, she would be kicked out too.

Trista put her arm around Emily. "I know it's personal, but would you like to tell me what happened?"

"I.." Emily started, then paused. Trista thought she wasn't going to tell her until Emily whispered, "I fell in love with a girl. And my parents don't like me being a lesbian."

Oh. It was obvious Emily was still in love with this girl, so Trista didn't have a chance with her. Disappointment washed through her for a second, but quickly went away. There would be others. But, she couldn't just walk away and leave Emily like she could if it was any other potential date. Emily reminded her too much of herself a few years back. Shy, insecure, and always letting others walk all over her and make her decisions. Trista had finally basically said "screw it." and decided to walk her own path. Like this old song on the radio had once said, you can't please everyone, so why not please yourself? Emily needed a major pep talk, and Trista would be the one to give it to her.

"So, this girl.." Trista said. "What's she like?"

"Her name's Maya. She's beautiful both inside and out, long dark hair, beautiful face, and this sassy personality that says, "Screw everyone else, I'll do what I want." Trista smirked; Maya sounded a lot like herself.

"And she was so patient when I came out." Emily continued. "She never gave up on me, even when I tried to push her away because I was scared. Last night, I told her I loved her and-"

"And your parents sent you away?" Trista murmured sympathetically.

Emily nodded, sniffling. "They found out earlier because someone copied a picture of me and Maya kissing and showed it to everyone." Trista winced. Poor kid. "My parents were mad and sent me to this gay-away program, said if I didn't go into it and succeed that they'd send me here. I had to break up with Maya. The program didn't work, my counselor even got back with her old girlfriend." Emily laughed darkly at this.

"I got back together with Maya last night; told her I loved her and…"

"Your parents found out and sent you here." Trista guessed.

Emily nodded. "I can't believe I dumped all this on you!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening. "I'm so sorry!"

"I find I have that effect on people." Trista said with a smirk. "And you don't need to be sorry. Sounds like you needed to get it off your chest.

"I-I did." Emily whispered. "I just- I'm scared I'll never see her again, not if my parents have anything to say about it. Trista, what do I do?"

Time for the major Trista Taylor Pep Talk. But what should she say? Her eyes landed on a small arrow lying on the ground just waiting to be stepped on, probably left over from someone's target practice. She scooped it up and handed it to Emily.

"Follow your arrow."

…...

Emily looked at the arrow, then at Trista. What the heck was Trista talking about? "Huh?"

Trista placed a hand on her shoulder, her eyes sympathetic. "I used to be like you once. Shy, scared to displease anyone."

Emily stared. "You?" Confident, seductive Trista had been like her?

Trista chuckled. "Yes, me. But I finally woke up one day and decided, "Hey, I've been trying to please everyone so hard that I don't know who Trista Taylor even is." So I learned to follow my own arrow, my own path. Some people say I'm a slut, and maybe they're right," Trista cast a dark look at Abby at this sentence. "But I'm happy now. You love this Maya, right?"

Emily nodded. "More than anything in the world."

Trista grasped Emily's arm, a fierce look in her eyes. "Then go to her. Be happy with her. Show this world who Emily is and be proud of it! Stop letting other people spin your arrow," she took the arrow at this and spun it around, then handed it back to Emily. "And make your own path, the one YOU are proud of, even if not everyone else is!"

A powerful feeling swelled up in Emily. Trista was absolutely right. She had let Ali, her parents, A, pretty much everyone control her life. Now Emily Fields was taking control. And she wouldn't let A, or anyone else, stop her!

**I hope you guys liked this! I wanted to write another side to Trista besides the slut everyone says she is. I'm not saying Trista's path is right(it certainly wouldn't have been right for me) but it's Trista's path. And now Emily is ready to follow her own. How will Rosewood and A react to the new Emily? **


End file.
